THE Rad/Dark Defender Post

Yes, this is THE post. Not a FAQ, not a Guide, but the post. I'm sure it will get buried soon enough...



So mister DNA, what is a rad/dark defender?

It is a defender build that doesn't need a group, but can really shine in a group if you want. It is a great build for the self-directed player that wants to log on and do something. You can solo missions - even some of the bugged ones with higher than expected bosses. You can solo hunt everything that doesn't come in a huge pack (5+), and even then you can sometimes pull that off.

What a rad/dark defender isn't?

A blaster. Blasters are weak sissies that hit harder and some have nice AE attacks. Rad/Dark defenders are light on the AE, but we aren't half the sissies that blasters are. Blasters get hit once and they run away like they've had a limb hacked off. Rad/Dark defenders can play footsie with Freakshow tankers without panicing, but blasters can take out a pack of minions like nobody's business. Beating up minions by the dozen isn't what makes a hero a superheo. Beating up bosses is.

So what's the important stuff from the Radiation line?

There are a few important things in the primary line, and we'll start with the holy trinity of "Make a bunch of creeps behave like a pack of wussies" debuffs - Radiation Infection (1), Enervating Field (6), and Lingering Radiation (12). These are important powers that you really should pick up as soon as they open up. Let's look at them individually:

Radiation Infection - A toggle Accuracy and Defense debuff. A toggle debuff is one that is centered around a single target, and any creep in range will also be affected by it. It has a fairly low endurance drain and a moderate recharge after it is either turned off or the target is killed. The accuracy debuff component means you (or your friends) won't get hit much, and enhanced with 3-4 ToHit Debuffs will make most similar level mobs miss the bulk of their attacks.

Enervating Field - A toggle Damage and Resistance debuff. This puppy drains your endurance like its going out of style, but it is worth it as it scales up to 40% - meaning creeps do 40% less damage while you do 40% more. The downside is neither attribute can be enhanced - so you don't need to commit a lot of enhancement slots to it, and you'll only need to bother with 2-3 Endurance Reducers.

Lingering Radiation - A fire-and-forget AE Movement Rate and Attack Rate debuff. For you EQ nuts - it is Turgur's with a Snare. However, unlike toggles which never miss - LR has a to-hit roll, so you'll need to make sure you invest in at least an Accuracy enhancer. Slow enhancers aren't a waste, but no need to go overboard as there is a cap at 10%. 3-4 slots will make LR have the punch it needs.

So what else in the Radiation line is worthwhile?

EM Pulse - Your 32nd level power pick - no, really, take it at 32nd level no questions asked. It is a massive radius PBAE Hold that can last up to 40-50 seconds on same-level targets. The downside being it has a 5m recharge and prevents you from recovering endurance for 15ish seconds. Tack some Accuracy, Hold Duration, and a Recharge Reducer into it and it becomes a nice punch to utterly cripple a whole wack of creeps.

Accelerate Metabolism - A superb buff that increases everything and the kitchen sink for everone around you. None of the buff effects alone are remarkable, rather it is the fact it improves your endurance recovery, damage, resistance to status effects (hold, immob, sleep, disorient), running speed and recharge rate for all powers. The downside is the long timer on it - it takes 6 SO Recharge Reducers to have it up all the time. Consider doing that, but also consider other powers that reduce recharge time.

Radiant Aura - Your basic PBAE heal. Handy in a pinch, handy in group, but don't worry too much about it. A heal, a recharge, and an end reducer is sufficient. You could actually live without this power, but its a nice way to save on heal insps which you never seem to have when you need. Don't go overboard with heal enhancers as a Recharge Reducer also increases your healing potential, and the END cost on it isn't tiny. IMO, A heal, a Recharge Reducer and an End Reducer make for the best slotting of Radiant Aura. More if your group more, less if you solo more.

Mutation - The best combat rez in the game, hands down. Unless you expect to be in a party that dies a lot, you don't need to put many enhancer slots in it. Despite being the best combat rez in the game. It is still a combat rez. Which translates into "you effed up on something" - an innocent mistake, or you did something stupid. Its an optional power.

Skip the rest of the Rad line - Choking Cloud and Fallout. Search this forum to find out why - no need to flog the dead horse.

How about the Dark Blast line?

Dark Blast - Thou dost not have a choice about this. Its a basic blast. Enhance it a bit, but skip the ToHit Debuff enhancers. Consider the debuff component to be a nice bonus, with the damage being what is really important. Why is that? You don't need to debuff dead guys.

Gloom - A high damage DoT. Upside? Its a fast acting DoT. Downside? It is a DoT. DoTs don't go over well in groups when you're killing fast. Its good if you solo more than group. Skip it if you intend on grouping more.

Moonbeam - This is what you will be doing damage with once you get it. Rad Infection means you don't need to worry much about getting interrupted, and the damage on sniper shots is very good. Slot it up good with Accuracy and Damage and impress people on the forums with screenshots of doing 400 damage

Dark Pit - Nice power, wasted on a Rad Defender with EM Pulse. Skip it. Let the poor Empath defenders pick it instead.

Teneborous Tentacles - Argued to be the best power in the dark blast line. Immobilize with damage in a wide but short range cone. This power makes keeping creeps bunched up so they're all nicely radiated quite easy. Accuracy and Immobilize Duration work best, but damage enhancers are not wasted on this power. Consider six slots here.

Night Fall - A narrow but long range cone attack that does DoT damage. Base damage is slighly more than TT, so it will ramp up better than TT for damage when enhanced. The two work well in combination with each other - you keep them in place, radiated, and blast them with Night Fall.

Torrent - Skip it. Knockdown and Radiation don't mix well since you want to keep things tightly packed and radiated, spreading them out isn't something that goes well.

Life Drain - Skip it if you have Radiant Aura, its a loooong wait to pick up if you don't. Radiant Aura never misses, Life Drain will.

Blackstar - PBAE damage, and lots of it, but drains you dry of all your endurance. Of course, you can increase the damage is does by 40%, and if everything is held because of EM Pulse, does the endurance drain matter much? Probably not. Besides, you will have a few inspirations slots kicking around, why not use them?

As for slotting for damage - if you solo more, you'll want to focus on damage output, which means putting slots into your offensive powers. If you group more, focus on the group tools - TT, Nightfall, and Dark Blast.

This is all fine and dandy, but how do I level?

Step 1: Hit a bunch of creeps with Radiation Infection.
Step 2: Target a creep that is not your radiation infection "anchor".
Step 3: Turn dark blast on auto-attack.
Step 4: Get a good book and start reading.
Step 5: Target the next creep.
Step 6: Repeat ad nauseum.

No, I'm not joking. You can level exclusively off of Radiation Infection and Dark Blast. It would be as boring as watching paint dry, of course. Obviously, with RI up you can also blast things with Moonbeam. So do that. You can turn EF on to get 40% more out of it. Might want to give that a try too. LR makes it much easier to run them down when they give up wiffing and run away. While some ATs focus more on killing lower levels en masse, a R/D defenders can have fun with mobs 2-3 above them once adequately debuffed. Fear is for Blasters and Scrappers - debuff it and give it a try, after all, its moving so slow even your grandma could get away from it.

When you're in a group, you'll either need to learn people how not to kill your radiation anchor, or you'll need to learn how to pick innocuous targets so they end up dying last (instead of first). Enervating Field fires very quickly and provides an instant 40% boost to damage - start with this one, followed by RI or LR, depending on how long the MOBs last. In a blaster-heavy AE group, you'll be lucky to get anything more than EF off. Against higher level targets, Rad Infection will help lower levels hit creeps. LR simply reduces the damage potential of anything it hits by a lot.

Hey, wait one second - how about power pools?

Take a travel power, get it by 14 if you intend on doing any kind of soloing. There are ups and downs for each form, but I'm a big fan of Flight. Cutting to the chase though - you will travel in this game. You will not always have someone who will teleport you. You will be traveling a lot.

The Fitness pool for Stamina is almost a no-brainer. Even with AM up 7x24, Stamina gives you more endurance. More endurance means more blasting and/or more debuffing. Rad/Dark Defenders do both. A lot. Get Stamina.

Hasten, from Super Speed, means your blasts cycle faster, which means more damage output, and fast cycling on those long timer powers like EM Pulse, AM, and Blackstar.

The Leadership powers are done best by a Defender, which means they're a good pick. Maneuvers provides almost the same level of defense bonus as Focused Fighting. You can either not socket them and just run them as extra bonuses, or heavily socket them for some real defense or accuracy bonus. Your friends will like you. Vengeance isn't worth it at the moment. Might change. Might not.

Stealth can be a useful thing, especially if you solo. Phase Shift is not to be underestimated - especially considering the potential for PvP.

Fighting is not a great choice but not a horrible one. Tough is a nice bit of Smash/Lethal resistance which is fairly common from 14-40. Weave provides some extra defence.

Medicine? Now THIS would be a bad power pool choice. Presence as well unless you want a few fear powers.

So there you go, and the first time some pansy-arsed scrapper tells you to shut up and heal, mock him for his wussy damage output

NOTE 1: All spelling misteaks aer intenitional.
NOTE 2: Subject to change.
NOTE 3: I reserve the right to be utterly dead wrong about Rad/Dark defenders from 40 to 50. (I won't be though)

I have a level 28 rad/psy defender and a level 20 rad/dark defender, and your FAQ covers all the bases. Tenebrous Tentacles and Nightfall are an awesome 1-2 AE punch, that can take down groups of 6-10 villans in a reasonable amount of time if they're fully slotted with damage SOs. The trick to using both in tandem is to zoom in toward the villans to recast TT, and then zoom out to cast Nightfall (to make it hit the most villans possible, its quite narrow and if you're too close you wont hit much except your target). If you have hasten and AM, and both are properly slotted with recharge reducers (5 in hasten and 4 in AM) you can make very quick work of medium to large hordes of green-white villans using TT and Nightfall, they're default recharge time is 10 seconds, with hasten + AM they recharge in 5 seconds, and that allows you to lay down a whole world of hurt in a very short period of time, all the while debuffing their accuracy with these two AE nukes. Definately a killer cocktail. The only real challenge is to make sure the whole group of villans gets hit by your first TT casting, otherwise those you miss will run up to you (out of range of RI) and start being a big nuissance. If you're daring you could try leading off with TT and then cast RI, the risk you run there is that they'll get a round of fire off on you without RI's huge accuracy debuff, you'll be relying heavily on TTs relatively meagre accuacy debuff (-10%?), but the advantage is that the villans won't have a few seconds to spread out this way, whereas if you lead with RI they can and sometimes do spread out of cone range of TT.

The other thing I'd add is that stealth (or super speed) is incredibly valuable for sneaking up on a group of villans and getting that first debuff off (Radiation Infection would be my recommendation as a lead debuff) before they have a chance to fire at you. Once you've landed RI they won't hit you much especially if you've put 2-3 accuracy debuff SOs in it.

Soul Chiller, level 32 ice/ice blaster
StrawberryBlond, level 28 rad/psy defender
Soul Storm, level 20 rad/dark defender

This is an awsome post. I just read it and I have a level 16 Rad/dark defender and I have to agree with everything I have read. I wish I read it sooner,Im afraid I have made some mistakes in my slotting but my charater is still doable.

p.s. its 2:30 in the morning and even on good days I cant spell worth my weight in gold

agree with everything but that dark pit is useless for us
you get it much earlier, enhanced it is quite reliable vs minions refreshes fast(45secs i think) and you're like a ghetto controller in teams without a real one
it also helps soloing packs of minions at higher lvls with TT and nightfall...

but all in all great guide deserves some stars

Thanks for posting this... Just made one of these toons on a whim and now I'm really excited to see what they can do!

Going to try this out tonite. Thanks!

Excellent post. I agree now about Dark Pit. I was planning on taking it before so that I could disorient and then jump in the middle and light off Blackstar but with EM Pulse, you don't realy need it. With AM/Hasten, your timers on both these 9th level powers should be certainly less than 90 seconds.

Tactics and Manuevers make great additions to this build as they accentuate greatly what Radiation Infection does, only they work on your group versus the mobs.

A good Rad/Dark is all about making the bosses and significantly higher level minions something that you can take down without lucking out or worrying about precision group tactics.

Very nice post! I've already chosen my powers up to level 10, but I'll use this as a guide from here on out!

Dark Pit is a wonderful opening round attack for large groups of badguys. It prevents that initial agro-death that can happen when 12-15 goons all open fire on you at once.

I use it chronically on task force runs as the first shot.

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Outer Darkness - 30 Dark/Dark Defender
Victory

Got to level 7 last night with The Toxic Weevil and so far this is one seriously fun build. So, lock up your dried grains and cereals, Evil Doers! The Weevil has arrived!

Excellent post.

Here is The Toxic Weevil's build (character's personality is patterned after The Flea on Mucha Lucha if you've ever watched it.) Couple quick notes. First, I solo or duo more than I group, so that's why I took Gloom. Second, the Leadership pools didn't fit with the character concept. Third, yes I know I have 2 travel powers and there's a couple reasons for that :
A. I'm really tight on powers pre-24, wanted a travel power by 14, and didn't want to push back haste too far.
B. I wanted the status effect resistances from CJ/Acrobatics, but Jump Kick didn't fit. Plus, having two travel powers since I have space for it, makes for some versatility in travel depending on the zone.

And fourth, I haven't finished slotting because I'm still trying to figure out the order of importance.

Feel free to comment as you see fit. I'm hoping the original author of this thread can shoot me some pointers as well. TIA!

Level 1 (Starting Primary) : Radiation Infection /HitDeb,HitDeb
Level 1 (Starting Secondary) : Dark Blast /Acc,Dmg,Dmg
Level 2 : Gloom /Acc,Dmg,Dmg
Level 4 : Moonbeam /Acc,Dmg,Dmg
Level 6 : Enervating Field /EndRdx,EndRdx
Level 8 : Hasten /Rchg
Level 10 : Accelerate Metabolism /Rchg,Rchg,Rchg
Level 12 : Lingering Radiation /Slow
Level 14 : Super Speed /Empty
Level 16 : Tenebrous Tentacles /Empty
Level 18 : Swift /Empty
Level 20 : Night Fall /Empty
Level 22 : Hurdle /Empty
Level 24 : Stamina /Empty
Level 26 : Combat Jumping /Empty
Level 28 : Super Jump /Empty
Level 30 : Acrobatics /Empty
Level 32 : EM Pulse /Empty
Level 35 : Mutation /Empty
Level 38 : Blackstar /Empty

I hate looking for my own posts, or making other people look for them when they ask.

Easier to find them when they're on the first page.

I personally like Gloom better than moonbeam, but can see the appeal to most of seeing the big number hit instead of the dots tick off. Other than that though, I see myself pretty much following your ideas for my rad/dark. Great guide and good job. 5 star to you.

I just had a thought, with Dark Pit's recharge being 30 seconds, it with 3 disorient duration and 2 accuracy SOs, and AM/Hasten, + Tenebrous Tentacles, wouldn't it be possible to actually have an improvised AoE hold? Cast Dark Pit, followed by tenebrous tentacles, followed by Night fall, rinse and repeat.

Excellent post!

One question @ ChaoticDNA:
Could you please post your build or is it posted somewhere?

TIA!

Wow...cool post on a "odd" defender combo. Ver nice..ill have to give it a whirl.

Added to favorites.

Heh I considered rad/dark for a good while but ended up taking kin/dark, heres a build it basically follows what he said about dark but I made this guy a little bit before his post:P.

Slot[01] Level 1 (Starting Primary) : Siphon Power /Empty
Slot[02] Level 1 (Starting Secondary) : Dark Blast /Empty
Slot[03] Level 2 : Gloom /Empty
Slot[04] Level 4 : Transfusion /Empty
Slot[05] Level 6 : Hasten /Empty
Slot[06] Level 8 : Increase Density /Empty
Slot[07] Level 10 : Assault /Empty
Slot[08] Level 12 : Speed Boost /Empty
Slot[09] Level 14 : Swift /Empty
Slot[10] Level 16 : Tactics /Empty
Slot[11] Level 18 : Health /Empty
Slot[12] Level 20 : Stamina /Empty
Slot[13] Level 22 : Inertial Reduction /Empty
Slot[14] Level 24 : Tenebrous Tentacles /Empty
Slot[15] Level 26 : Night Fall /Empty
Slot[16] Level 28 : Transference /Empty
Slot[17] Level 30 : Super Speed /Empty
Slot[18] Level 32 : Fulcrum Shift /Empty
Slot[19] Level 35 : Dark Pit /Empty
Slot[20] Level 38 : Blackstar /Empty
Slot[21] Level 41 : Life Drain /Empty
Slot[22] Level 44 : Stealth /Empty
Slot[23] Level 47 : Maneuvers /Empty
Slot[24] Level 49 : Repel /Empty

Yea I need to rework the later levels but right now its kicking *** and forgeting names. Both gloom and dark blast have a one second animation, so I can machine gun those when I have hasten up:P. It doesn't have the acc debuffed safety that Rad has, but can generate more dps.(at a higher end cost oddly, machine gunning is very taxing) It also is pretty solo effective, but again sadly none of the real good buffs work on yourself

Well, my current build looks like this:

Slot[01] Level 1 (Starting Primary) : Radiation Infection /Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty
Slot[02] Level 1 (Starting Secondary) : Dark Blast /Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty
Slot[03] Level 2 : Accelerate Metabolism /Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty
Slot[04] Level 4 : Moonbeam /Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty
Slot[05] Level 6 : Hover /Empty
Slot[06] Level 8 : Enervating Field /Empty,Empty,Empty
Slot[07] Level 10 : Radiant Aura /Empty,Empty,Empty
Slot[08] Level 12 : Hasten /Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty
Slot[09] Level 14 : Fly /Empty,Empty
Slot[10] Level 16 : Tenebrous Tentacles /Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty
Slot[11] Level 18 : Lingering Radiation /Empty,Empty,Empty
Slot[12] Level 20 : Gloom /Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty
Slot[13] Level 22 : Swift /Empty
Slot[14] Level 24 : Health /Empty
Slot[15] Level 26 : Stamina /Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty
Slot[16] Level 28 : Dark Pit /Empty
Slot[17] Level 30 : Choking Cloud /Empty, Empty
Slot[18] Level 32 : EM Pulse /Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty,Empty
Slot[19] Level 35 : Stealth /Empty
Slot[20] Level 38 : Blackstar /Empty

The order may not be right, but those are the powers I currently have. While I'm happy with it, the important question should be "Hey, what would you do now, knowing what you do?"

Slot[01] Level 1 (Starting Primary) : Radiation Infection /HitDeb,HitDeb,HitDeb,DefDeb,EndRdx

Holy Trinity Debuff #1.

Slot[02] Level 1 (Starting Secondary) : Dark Blast /Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,EndRdx

No choice. Basic blast.

Slot[03] Level 2 : Accelerate Metabolism /Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,EndRec,EndRec

I think that I've got this balanced with Hasten to have both up 7x24 (or with trivial downtime). The various bonuses are listed elsewhere, and well worth the slots, most notably the recharge reduction and damage bonus.

Slot[04] Level 4 : Moonbeam /Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,EndRdx

Sniper shot, 175 range, interruptable, but the main punch of my single-target attacks. The interruptability is of little consequence - either you slow them with Lingering Radiation and you have enough time to read War and Peace between swings, or you have them lit up with Rad Infection and they aren't going to hit you 95% of the time.

Slot[05] Level 6 : Enervating Field /EndRdx,EndRdx

Holy Trinity Debuff #2.

Slot[06] Level 8 : Radiant Aura /Heal,Heal,Heal

The "Make people think I can heal" power. Used as a placebo in most groups, but it is a 250ish point PBAE-Heal.

Slot[07] Level 10 : Hover /Fly

Pre-req for flight. I also have a lot of fun baiting Juicer Freaks up high in the air, then "arresting" them and watching them fall aaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the way down. (teehee, oops!) More sport than anything else, but hey, if you're not having fun...

Slot[08] Level 12 : Lingering Radiation /Slow,Slow,EndRdx

Holy Trinity Debuff #3.

Slot[09] Level 14 : Fly /Fly,Fly

Fast enough for me. If you're rushed to get everywhere instantly and kill everything instantly roll a blaster. And get used to debt.

Slot[10] Level 16 : Tenebrous Tentacles /Immob,Immob,Rng(Cone),EndRdx

Immobilizes for a long time. The damage ticks are relatively slow so some of it is lost to natural mob regeneration. With both Hasten and AM running 7x24, you can immobilize bosses. Great fun against Paragon Protectors.

Slot[11] Level 18 : Hurdle /Jump
Slot[12] Level 20 : Health /Heal
Slot[13] Level 22 : Stamina /EndRec,EndRec,EndRec,EndRec,EndRec,EndRec

The no-brainer (and its pre-reqs). Rad/* Defenders chew through endurance like mad. Rad/Dark is no exception.

Slot[14] Level 24 : Hasten /Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg

See comments on AM. It now has a small defense bonus that is not worth enhancing.

Slot[15] Level 26 : Super Speed /EndRdx

Used primarily for the minor stealth component to dodge unwanted aggro, and for stealth bombing. If we had unlimited PP picks, I'd go with stealth instead to work up to Phase Shift (which may prove to be very useful in PvP later). Since they are limited, I'll go this way instead.

Slot[16] Level 28 : Night Fall /Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Rng(Cone),EndRdx

AE (Cone) damage, which is preferable in groups.

I slot End Reducers in all my offensive powers because a Rad/Dark defender will spend more time doing damage to "arrest" vis-a-vis a blaster who will spend more time between fights. Others may disagree, but since we're more geared towards damage over time (not DOT Powers, but spread out over a greater timespan) than First-Strike damage like blasters (who can decimate a group in seconds, otherwise THEY get decimated usually), the minor loss of damage per hit is worth the ability to keep blasting longer with all the toggles up.

Slot[17] Level 30 : Maneuvers /DefBuf,DefBuf,DefBuf,EndRdx

It was a tossup here - I've been debating going the boxing/tough/weave route for the Smash/Lethal resists. Maneuvers gives a tad more defense than Weave (for defenders), but no resistances. It opens up tactics however, and it also helps the group.

Slot[18] Level 32 : EM Pulse /Acc,Hold,Hold,Hold,Rchg

The massive AE hold for Rad defenders. Not to be missed. Last a long, long LONG time. I can pick apart fair sized groups (10ish MOBs) without them fighting back at all.

Slot[19] Level 35 : Tactics /HitBuf,HitBuf,HitBuf,EndRdx

Does two things - helps me by reducing the need for acc enhancers in most powers, and helps the group. Rad Infection has the same effect really.

Slot[20] Level 38 : Blackstar /Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg

Sheer fun eye-candy-with-blow-crap-up-effect. Appears to have two radi of effect - a primary that does about 150 UNENHANCED damage, 60 neg 60 neg 30 smash (that's before AM and EF, on a white con minion) and a secondary radius that only does one negative one smash damage (60 neg/30smash). Even with a single damage SO, it works wonders with EM Pulse and Stealth. Stealth "Bombing" by opening with EM Pulse (which doesn't drain all your end), getting in close to the pack, turning on EF, then letting Blackstar loose should, once enhanced a bit, drop even-con minions.

What about post-40?

I've got 10 slots and 4 power picks to spare, but I'm not going to commit to those power selections as there may be new and exciting choices to take.

It's a great post, thanks for taking the time.

One bit i disagree a little on is that we can't take out a large group. I am currently 32, and go to Bricks to find big groups of foes. I prefer even con or +1 lvl foes, but don't mind if there's a LT or two in the group. The Crey are good. Freaks, except for those darn self-rezzing occasions can throw off my rythm. 5th Column if I don't get too many Riflemen in the mix slowing me.
I have my tentacles rooting down to a near perfect science, I can imagine a picture of my cone on the ground in front of my character almost perfectly. This comes from practice. I prefer a dozen or so even cons. Tentacles will catch about 90% or better, depending on the foes, some spread out and roam a little more than others, but if you approach from the right angle you can usually hit 90%. The strays will beat on you a little but you can change their angle and lock them up next repetion. Night Fall has great range, i can back up a bit from my mobs after i lock them down and drop EF and then hit myself a heal, which i need now that 12+ mobs just took a shot at me, then hit NightFall. 2nd pass with Tentacles now, change your angle a little so that you're going to get those pesky fellows you missed last time in the mix, then back off, heal, NightFall. Boom, all the minions dropped on the second pass. Now your LTs are standing there wetting themselves. Re-Tentacle them, Nightfall one more time, and then polish them off with a burst of gloom.
The exp. for Minions when x10 or x12 is pretty nice for a little <2 minute fight.

There are some obvious situations where this scenario won't work, or needs to be adjusted. Nazi Vampires sleep you and you cant afford to miss one of your heals after you agro the whole lot. Same with those Crey cryo guys and protectors. There are lots of mobs that won't hold/sleep etc, you just have to keep an eye on them.
Boss mobs will resist the hold effect on tentacles more often than not, but even then, I can usually kite them around the rest of the tentacled hoard and lock them in after the second try or by the time i've dropped the minions and LTs.

I love my rad dark to pieces. I hope everyone has as much fun. =)

I update my template shot each day usually, have a look!

regards,

[ QUOTE ]
What about post-40?

I've got 10 slots and 4 power picks to spare, but I'm not going to commit to those power selections as there may be new and exciting choices to take.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeh...either take the random powrs you dinnt chose yet or hang till new ones come out.

Yeh...either take the random powrs you dinnt chose yet or hang till new ones come out.

Well, the problem is people are looking for build advice, and since nobody knows yet, I'm not offering any advice on what powers to take and how to slot them.

I find Dark Pit very useful. I have 1 Accuracy and 1 Disorient Duration enhancement in it. It is great for damage mitigation. If the enemy is wandering around with circles around their head, they are not attacking

It seems to be most effective against minions, sometimes on lieutenants and I havent even bothered trying it on a boss. But taking minions out of the fight for 20 seconds or so is still pretty handy.

If I am soloing and encounter, say, 1 yello Lt and 3 white minions, I Moonbeam the Lt to get things started and Dark pit the minions. That way I can concentrate on the Lt while the minions are wandering around.

As an example, I was patrolling with 2 friends last night (our chars are level 28-30) in Brickstown and we were fighting 6 5th column minions that were red to me. I used Dark Pit and disoriented 5 of them!

I would say that after using Dark Pit for 18 levels (I got it at level 10 and am 18 now) I have been satisfied with its performance.

Nice guide

great guide, but would any of you suggest either Gloom or Moonbeam for better sustainable damage power for the END cost when soloing with the Debuff / Tentacles method?